


Sea Breezes

by RileeTheRiddler



Series: Blazing through the Dawn [3]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Adventure & Romance, F/F, F/M, M/M, Self-Insert
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-17 11:00:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 19,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29591775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RileeTheRiddler/pseuds/RileeTheRiddler
Summary: Blaze was ready to conquer the world at her captain's side. Too bad the rest of the world didn't get the memo.
Series: Blazing through the Dawn [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2143131
Comments: 23
Kudos: 95





	1. Prologue

Her boat sank into the sands of the island. She jumped out to pull it ashore and the sea splashed softly around her ankles. The sun was rising behind her and the foggy air was alight with reflecting beams. Blaze didn’t linger.

There was only one other human on this island and she had a date. Although only she knew it. 

It’d been a while since she’d seen the other. Two years in fact. Blaze had changed since then. Her body finished filling out, she came to terms with never growing taller, and she was stronger. 

Her hair flowed down her back in an endless red wave and her skin was tanned from all the time spent on the open ocean. She was curvy, as Shakky had always known she would be. Blaze didn’t know how her foster mom had called it, women’s intuition or something, but her hips had widened considerably and her breasts were just large enough they hurt her back if she didn’t have support. 

With the talon scars on her arm, her tattoos, and gold jewelry, Blaze thought she looked pretty good for a pirate. 

Becuase that’s what she was now. Indisputably, Blaze was a pirate to the bone. Sailing the ocean the last two years had driven it home. The sea was the home to her heart. 

She wondered how Luffy was doing.

He’d been unconscious when she said goodbye and his last sight of her was her falling to the ground, bloody and exhausted. His dangling and bloody body haunted her nightmares from that day. She wondered if Luffy had nightmares 

That was in the past though and she was more concerned with the future. 

Blaze had to climb up a cliff to reach the forest on Rusukaina Island. She maintained a straight line towards her goal. Several beasts tried to accost her but a single slash of her sword kept them at bay. 

She had her sights set on the only other human on this island. She perked up as she felt him start to head her way.

The two met in a clearing several moments later. 

“Blaze?” He looked at her curiously. She took him in with a slow glance. He’d grown. Filled out in his shoulder and strengthened his jaw. The scar across his chest was fully healed. He carried himself with newfound confidence and grace. 

She liked what she saw.

“Luffy.” She looked him dead in the eyes. “I told you once I’d join your crew if you could beat me.”

He started to grin, wild and untamed. “Yeah. And I promised I could handle you.”

“It’s time to make good on both of our words.” She positioned her sword in front of her.

Luffy’s smile matched hers. “Hell Yeah!”

“Are you prepared for the consequences of your actions, Straw Hat?”

“Bring it on, Blaze!”

——-

They fought for two days straight. Two years ago it would have been impossible for her. She had lacked the stamina and so had he. 

It was different now. They were both stronger. His punches hit harder than cannons and he’d gotten so fast she could barely dodge them.

She was still faster though. But where she was faster he was more creative. He possessed greater physical strength and she had her sword skills. Every punch he aimed was dodged and every slash from her was caught on armament hardened skin. 

It was brutal. 

In the end, she slipped up and a punch sent her through several trees. Coughing up blood, she tried to stand but couldn’t. She was exhausted. 

Luffy appeared in front of her and she slumped back. 

“I can’t go on. I yield. Captain.”

He fell down beside in a pile of rubbery limbs. “Ha…ha..ha. Told you I’d beat you.”

“I put up a good fight though, right?”

“The best.” He agreed. “Welcome to the crew of the future king of the pirates.”

“Glad to be here, Captain Luffy.” She smiled at him and they both laughed before passing out. 

——

Luffy woke up first and picked up Blaze. She was still so small. Shorter than him. It was hard to believe she was so powerful.

He carried her to his camp. His whole body ached but he was filled with joy. A new crew member! He knew he’d gotten stronger but fighting with Blaze proved it. 

He still remembered when they’d first met in Alabasta and she’d knocked him out with one punch. He knows now it was Haki that did it but at the time he’d been blown away. 

Haki that he now possessed. A requirement for the New World according to Rayleigh. 

There was a small river next to the camp that he used to bathe in. Luffy headed towards it. He settled Blaze propped up on tree then started to strip. 

The water wasn’t deep but he still had to be careful. When Ace left Dawn Island all those years ago, he learned how. Since Rayleigh had left six months ago he’d gotten used to being alone again and was putting those old skills to good use.

It still sucked though. 

“Having a bath without me, Captain?”

“Blaze!” He turned towards her. “You’re awake!”

“Sure am.” She stood with a hand on the tree. “I fell disgusting. I think I’ll join you.”

“Shishishi! Usopp and Chopper used to bathe with me all the time! Ace too when we were kids. It was so much fun. I miss them.” 

“You’ll see them soon, Luffy. Two years is almost up.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” He watched curiously as she stripped. Her body sure was different than the other guys. Different than Nami’s even from what he could remember of Alabasta. He wondered if Robin’s body was different too.

Color flashing on her skin caught his eye. “Woah, you have a lot of tattoos. Show me!”

Blaze laughed. “You shouldn’t demand things of women like that, Captain. It’s enough to make a girl blush.” But she still slipped in the water and came closer. “Which do you want to know about?”

“That one!” he pointed to the skull and snake on her leg. 

“Ah, I got that with Ace. When we first met I dragged him to a tattoo shop on Sabaody. He got the piece on his arm done.”

“JEALOUS! I want one. What about that one?” He pointed at her shoulder. There was a scar from a bullet going through the middle of it.

“Ah, I got that one on Water 7. Cool right?” 

“So cool! and that one?” He pointed between her breast. Luffy could actually feel his eyes trying to wander but it was an easy feeling to ignore. He’d never cared about people’s bodies before. 

Except for Franky’s body. Franky’s body was so damn cool.

“Ah, the little bee? I was drunk.”

“Heheheh Blaze is dumb.”

“Hey, I don’t regret it even a little!” She turned to begin washing her hair and Luffy caught sight of the giant Dragon on her back. 

“What about that one?”

“This one?” Blaze touched the tattoo. It was big, black, and took up a good amount of space on her upper back. “It was my first one. My dad almost flipped his lid when he saw it. I think I was about 14.”

“That’s pretty young for a tattoo, isn’t it?”

“I suppose. I’d been running missions for your dad for years at that point so I certainly didn’t feel young.”

“Huh.” Luffy sank into the water as much as he dared. It was shallow so it wasn’t far. Blaze followed his lead. “What’s he like?” Luffy didn’t care most of the time but it seemed like a pretty big part of Blaze’s life so he found himself curious. 

“Dragon? He’s a lot like you. Strong. Passionate. Doing what he thinks is right. Trying to save the world from itself. He’s very private. Stoic too. I suppose that’s where you too differ the most. He’s hard-pressed to smile and you’re hard-pressed to frown.”

“Sounds like a weird guy.” Luffy observed. Maybe he’d like to meet the guy one day. 

Blaze laughed. “It must run in the family.”

“SHISHSHI,” He laughed with her. 

“No help me clean my back.” 

“Eehh, you don’t know how to do it?”

“I do. But that’s what friends do, right? Wash each other’s backs?”

Luffy sprang up. “RIGHT! I’ll wash you back and you wash mine. Now that you mention it, I remember Ace saying something like that once.”

She giggled. “See, like I said. . Now don’t miss any spots! And be careful of the bruises.”

“I will be,” Luffy promised, determined not to let his new crewmate down. 

———

Blaze stayed with Luffy for two more days. Long enough for her to recover from their fight and to get to know her new captain better. She’d spent very little time with him where they weren’t fighting for their lives after all.

It was an eye-opening two days. Luffy completely ignored physical boundaries, wrapping around her at night as if she’d disappear, but seemed to know instinctively how to respect emotional boundaries. 

He’d not mentioned the burn scar covering her entire foot and ankle at all, even though she’d caught him staring at it. A lovely little reminder of that day nearly two years ago. 

When the sun rising on the morning of the third day, he walked her to her little boat. 

“Oh! Before I forget. Ace asked me to give this to you.” She jumped aboard and rummaged around in that cabin. She came out with a think envelope clutched in her hand.

“Eehh? A letter? Ace never writes.” Luffy grabbed it excitedly.

“He misses you too, you know?”

“Yeah…” He trailed off and a wistful look crossed his face. Blaze wasn’t surprised to see it. There was a lot more to Luffy than the knuckleheaded idiot most people saw. 

“I’ll see you soon. Hancock should be swinging by in two weeks.”

“Ah, okay.” He still looked a little forlorn.

Blaze smiled teasingly at the other. “Where’s my send off?”

He looked up curiously. “huh?”

“You always have to send off friends with a hug and kiss on the cheek!”

“SHISHIHSI! Okay! ”

He wrapped his arms around her shoulders in a tight hug and she squeezed him around the waist. Blaze felt the strength in his limbs and could feel herself starting to blush. She pulled back to land a swift kiss on his rubbery cheek.

“Now you.” She tapped her left cheek with her pointer finger and tilted her head. He leaned in pressed his lips against her skin. She grinned at his slightly red face as he pulled back. “And that’s a proper send-off, Captain.”

———-

When Blaze arrived on Sabaody she went straight to Shakky’s bar to say hello and catch up with her foster mother. She had two weeks ago before the Straw Hats were due on the island. 

The second thing she did was head towards Jellysfish’s shop. She had an idea for a new tattoo and knew exactly where she wanted it. 

“You running off the become a pirate?” Jellyfish asked as the needled buzzed between them. 

“Sure am. Just following in the family business, you know how it is.”

Jellyfish laughed, their purple hair slipping over a bare shoulder. “Whatever kid. Don’t die out there. Or end the world.”

“I make no promises.” She grinned at the other. Blaze was giddy and flying high on her excitement. 

When she left the shop, she was grinning down at her wrapped arm. She couldn’t wait to tell Luffy.  
———

Buggy had quite the good thing going for him. A position as a warlord and a burgeoning criminal empire. With the loyal crew, he’d gathered in Impel Down and his past revealed he was now quite the formidable figure. 

It was fantastic! No more wild goose chases for long-gone treasure. Now the treasure came to him! Soon he’d have even more power if their plots played out as he hoped. 

Breaking out of Impel down had been the best thing he ever did. He shot a look to his right and thought of all the people he’d met there.

“Something the matter, Buggy?” Galdino asked. The former Mr. 3 had flourished under Buggy’s leadership. Although, he never let the captain get too carried away. 

“Not at all, Dino. Everything is perfect.” Buggy couldn’t suppress his mad grin if he’d tried. Indeed, Buggy’s Delivery was just the first step to conquering the Underworld. 

——

When Boa Hancock arrived to pick up her beloved from Rusukaina Island she was confused. 

The sight of Luffy whole and stronger than ever filled her with happiness but her thoughts keep drifting. 

In the two years since they’d seen each other a lot had changed. 

She had another man in her life for one. Not one she loved like she loved Luffy of course, that would be preposterous! 

Nothing would ever match her love for Luffy!

It was different. A kind of simmering low in her belly that burned her cheeks and lit a fire under her. 

It was infuriating. That man was infuriating. Always coming and going as he pleased. Just the thought of it made her fist clench with the urge to punch him across the face.

“Uhh Hancock? You are okay. You look kind of mad.” Her beloved asked. His voice brought her back to reality. She couldn’t believe she was ignoring her love to think about that awful man!

“Oh, Luffy! Your concern is so touching. Please.” She spun in place and grasped his rough hands. They were big enough to cover hers but didn’t ignite that same spark she remembered from before. 

What was going on? Boa Hancock was desperately confused. her fingers itched. She wanted to choke that man for making her feel this way. 

The vision of herself with her hand around his neck floated through her mind and she felt her face flush and she swayed. Why did she feel so faint all of the sudden?”

“Uhhh okaaayyy…..” Luffy inched away from her. 

—- -

“The Red Force has been spotted off the starboard side!”

Marco turned towards the horizon. Sure enough, there was Shank’s ship. He withheld a sign and turned to his co-captain. “What do you think he wants?”

Ace shrugged. “Who knows with that guy? Maybe a party?”

“Ugh. Why do I keep you around?”

“For my dashing good looks of course!”

Marco huffed out a laugh. “Its the only thing you have going for you, that’s for sure.”

“Hey! I’ve just been declared an emperor of the sea, you know! Enemies tremble before me.”

“Don’t let it go to your head, hot stuff. You’d be dead in a ditch without me.”

“Well of course! You’re my best friend after all.”

Ace said it so easily that Marco could feel a blush trying to fight its way onto his face. Stupid hot head. 

The Red Force pulled up and Ace greeted the other yonko like an old friend. “Shanks! Good to see you! What brings you by?”

“Ace, buddy. How’ve you been? I heard the news. Congrats.”

“Yeah!” Ace bounced around excitedly. Marco was glad to see it. His co-captain’s moods were enough to give a person whiplash on the best of days. “We partied for days. Isn’t it cool? I bet I could take you one.”

“You want to test that theory, kid?”

“Not on my ship.” Marco butt in. Like hell were those two idiots having a spar on the Moby Dick. She’d been through enough. 

“Aww, come on Marco.” Ace whined. 

“No.” He was unmoved. Ace grumbled. 

“Maybe another time then.” Shanks laughed. “We brought booze.”

“Hell yeah! A party. I told you, Marco!” Ace hopped over to the Red Force to help the Red-Haired pirates unload. Any other pirate trying that would have gotten their head chopped off but Ace had long befriended the entire crew.

“Why are you here, Shanks?”

“Marco, is that any way to treat an old friend?”

“When you’re that friend? Yeah. Everywhere you go, mayhem follows.”

“Hey, that’s harsh.” Shanks grinned disarmingly. Marco was immediately suspicious. 

Ace bounced back over. “DRINKS! CREW ITS TIME FOR A PARTY!”

But since his co-captain didn’t seem suspicious, Marco let it slide for now. He’d find out eventually

———

Zoro arrived on Sabaody ten days before anyone else. He ran into the red-haired girl hours after arriving and challenged her to a fight. He’d gotten stronger the last two years. Constant training had honed his skills and sharpened his mind, she’d be a perfect test of that new strength. 

“An all-out fight? Or a swordsman’s dual? Those are two different things to me, Zoro.” She asked while fiddling with the hilt of her sword. 

He paused. “Fight me. All out.” Zoro remembered reading about the war at Marinford two years ago. Not being there for his captain burned at him. It ate him up inside until he was prostrating himself before the man he’d sworn to defeat, begging. 

Zoro hadn’t even known anything had happened until it was all over. He’d sworn to never be weak again, to never lose. He’d lost to Kuma. Twice. And his captain had paid for it. 

A lesser man might have given up. Zoro trained until his hands bled from clutching his swords. Until his mouth filled with blood from where his teeth clenched on Wado Ichimonji.

This girl had been at his captain’s side. He’d once watched her take out Luffy in a single blow. He wanted to fight her. 

“Very well.” She drew her sword. He didn’t waste a second

The mangrove roots around them created a treacherous ground. Moss covered holes and gaps, one fell step, and a person could fall through to the ocean. Bubbles floated through the air. 

Zoro hated this place. It only brought back bad memories. 

Blaze hopped around the area like she’d been born to it. Every slash of her sword meeting his in a ringing clash that echoed off the trees. She was fast, faster than him.

He was strong though. His observation Haki helped him keep up with her blows. He pressed his advantage until a slash of his swords hurled towards her and his eye widened. Fuck she didn’t dodge, he couldn’t pull back.

Zoro swords slashed through her body. He froze. There wasn’t any blood. She was gone.

Wait. He couldn’t see anything. The entire area was covered in a thick fog. 

There! He blocked a slash from his right. Fine, if that’s how she wanted to play. 

Zoro closed his eye. He’d learned to fight with only one. Now it was time to learn to fight with none. 

Bring it. 

——-

Smoker and Tashigi had been stationed at the G-5 base for twenty-two months when he started to suspect something wasn’t right. Vergo had lost dozens of children to accidents at sea so far. While it wasn’t uncommon due to the increase in piracy after Whitebeard’s death. Smother smelled something fishy.

Every time he looked in the mirror the scar across his face taunted him with the fact he’d been beaten by someone half his age. It was infuriating. 

He growled. He was going to figure this out.  
——-

The Thousand Sunny was quite an impressive ship. Blaze took it all on from her spot perched on a mangrove root. 

A commotion on board drew her attention and she hopped up to the railing. 

The large blue-haired cyborg tilted his head to look at her from where he was fiddling with an engine while seated on the deck. 

“Can I help you?”

“….Franky?: Blaze wasn’t entirely sure. She didn’t remember Franky looking like this. He was quite….weird.

“Yeah, Who are you? A bounty hunter?” He asked aggressively and stood to face her. Blaze shook her head. 

“No no. We’ve met before. On Water-7? I kidnapped Iceberg for you?”

He squinted at her then his eyes widened. “WOWA Little sis! You’re all grown up!”

“Sure am! How’ve you been?”

“Oh, you know. Same old. I saw your face in the papers. Causing trouble?”

" Oh, you know. Same old.” She teased. 

“Not that it’s not nice to see you, but what are you doing here.”

" Waiting for Luffy.”

“Have a seat then! Let’s catch up.”

———

Luffy gave Hancock a hug and kiss goodbye like Blaze had taught him. It didn’t feel the same though. The warm and fuzzy feeling didn’t show up at all. Maybe it’s because she wasn’t part of his crew?

Hmm, he’d have to try it with Zoro and experiment. 

He looked around him. Hancock was on the deck and bright red. Did she have a fever again?

“My beloved… so forward. Is this… Marriage?” She fell back to the deck.

“No? I don’t want to marry you.”

“AH! The pain in my heart!”

Luffy tilted his head. She was so weird. “Okay, Thanks for all the help! Bye!” He sprinted into the mangroves. He had a crew to find. 

———

Dragon sighed heavily from the privacy of his office. 

“Something wrong, Sir?”The voice of his secretary spoke up. She was so easy to miss if a person wasn’t looking for her but she’d been by his side for nearly ten years now. 

“No, DD. Just pirates being pirates. The marines are up to something and so is Red Hair. We need to find out what.”

“Of course, sir.”

He shot a look towards her. Two years ago, they’d both been surprised at the events on Marinford. Even now, the world was still reeling from the repercussions. “Call Sabo. I have a mission for him.”

“Yes, sir.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Introducing the Straw Hat Pirates

Shakky basked in the few minutes she had left with her daughter. They’d not said any goodbyes and they wouldn’t. But she would still miss Blaze while she was gone. 

“I need to make a call to Brook. You double-check on everything.” Shakky stood from her barstool to make her way towards the room she kept her snails and papers in. 

“You’ll walk me over?” Blaze asked. The hopeful note in her voice made Shakky smile. Her beautiful, brave child. She’d almost lost her forever two years ago. Shakky still had nightmares about it. Rayleigh teased her but she knew he felt the same. Blaze was theirs as much as she was Shanks's. But like her father and Uncle, she belonged to the sea.

“Of course, darling.”

——-

“AND YOU’LL SEE WHY I’M A KING”

Brook sang his heart out on the stage for thousands of adoring fans. This was the last time he’d be doing this for a while. The screaming of the crowds sent his heart racing. That is, it would if he had a heart. 

“CALCIUM IS ALL THAT I NEED”

Fifty years in the dark with all his dead crewmembers’ bodies and now here he was. He’d never take it for granted. The best way ahead of him yet. “GOT MILK! GOT MILK!”

His crew would be reuniting today. The thought made his soul sing. Brook missed them. he was an optimist at heart (again, If he had a heart) and sometimes his knuckles clacked together and he shook with excitement at the thought of his crew. 

“Soul King Brook, you’re under arrest for piracy!”

“YOHOHOHOHO! ONE LAST SONG”

——

Robin caught sight of brilliant orange aboard the deck of the Sunny and felt warmth spread through her limbs. She’d missed her family fiercely. 

“Nami! I love the hair!” She called out and the navigator’s eyes shot over to her.

“Robin!” Her smile was bright enough to light up the whole ship. Robin truly considered Nami the heart of the crew, the glue that kept them all together. From the stories she’d been told, Robin had no doubt Zoro and Luffy would still be stuck in the East Blue without their navigator. 

“OWA! What a gorgeous lady!” Franky catcalled and she looked over at the cyborg.

She stared. Her head tilted as he struck a familiar pose. “Franky, you haven’t changed.”

“OWA! I’ve definitely changed!’” He yelled at her with a thin attempt at a scowl. The grin tugging at his lips ruined the effect. Before Brook, Franky and Robin were the oldest members of the crew. They had more in common than most would think. As energetic as Franky was, sometimes he still needed a more mature ear. Many a night the two had sat together and reminisced. Or, as was equally common, complained about the rowdy and rushed life aboard their ship. 

The archeologist climbed the ladder to her home for the first time in two years. The deck sank beneath her feet. Nami saw her curious look. “It’s the coating.”

“Ah,” Robin dropped her bag on the deck and Nami’s arms wrapped around her in a hug. She squeezed back just as tightly. Robin felt new muscles in the navigator's arms. “You look great. You’ve been tanning?”

Nami grinned in answer. “You bet. I missed you, Robin! We have so much to catch up on.”

“I look forward to it.” Robin’s cheeks were starting to ache from smiling. She was home. 

——

“Hello there!” 

Nami looked up from the deck of the Sunny. “Hey Rayleigh! Hey Shakky!” 

“Sorry to interrupt your reunion. We kind of have an incidence. Actually two very large incidences.” Rayleigh said from his spot on the ground. Nami nearly rolled her eyes. Trouble already?

“The navy?” The navigator cursed. It’d been nice not dealing with them the last two years.

“That’s right, they think those fake straw hats are the real deal so they are mobilizing. I have them wire-tapped. Brook is finishing up his show so I gave him a call. He’s coming after the encore.” Shakky added. Nami nodded and invited them aboard. She liked the duo. They were respected elders and also had a healthy respect for beri. She’d had a hell of a time talking Shakky down from their bar tab last time there were here. Plus they were Blaze’s relatives. Some type of foster family situation, similar to what she’d had with Bellemere, from what Nami had gathered. 

Nami had read the papers like everyone else. The Straw Hats owed Blaze and Rayleigh a debt. They’d been there for their captain when the crew couldn’t be. Nami hated owing people. She hated being weak and powerless. But this was a debt she’d honor. She loved Luffy dearly, even though he was a pain in the ass every second of every day, and she would do a lot to ensure he lived and reached his dream. 

“Thanks for the heads up.”Nami said.

“I’ll call Sanji. He has a baby transponder snail and he’s with Zoro.” Franky spoke up. Nami nodded but avoided looking at him. The sight of his new body hurt her eyes and her fashion sense. He looked awful. It was embarrassing her just standing near him.

“I’ll go find Luffy!” Chopper excitedly said. 

Nami raised an eyebrow. “You can handle it all alone?”

“Trust me!” Chopper demanded. 

Nami felt her heart warm. “Alright. Do your best!”

“You can follow this Vivre card to find him.” Shakky handed a piece of paper over to the reindeer. 

“Be Careful, Chopper.” Nami added. The little doctor had just gotten cuter over the past two years. The youngest crew member really did tempt her maternal instincts into coming out. Good thing she was practiced in shoving her emotions down. Like hell she’d let some stupid, wishy-washy feelings get the better of her. 

“You can count on me!” She watched him go off until Rayleigh captured her attention again. 

“Alright Nami, you’re the navigator so let me give you a few tips to navigating a coated ship.”

“I’m listening.” She gave the old guy all her focus. Her crew counted on her to keep them alive and she took her duties very seriously. Rayleigh went over the details and handed over a roll of paper with the instruction. 

“I’m sure you’ll do fine.” He said.

Nami threw him a confident grin. “Don’t worry about us, Rayleigh.”

He chuckled. “You kids will be fine.” He looked towards the back of the ship for a long moment before speaking again. She almost said something else, about the debt they owed him or an enthusiastic thanks. But she wasn’t good at those sorts of things and the moment passed. “Take the ship to Grove 42 and be ready to depart at a moment’s notice. I’m sure you’d like to relax after two years but it’s not meant to be. " 

“Will do. Thanks for the help.” Nami straightened her spine. She swept her long hair over her bare shoulders and felt the ends tickle her lower back. Time to get serious. 

——

Blaze observed the Straw Hat pirates from her spot hidden in the tangerine trees. She was more than half mist but she was feeling hesitant. 

Luffy wasn’t there yet. She decided to wait until he arrived to announce herself. It wasn’t her place to just show up and claim to be a new crewmate. It’d be weird. 

She’d not even mentioned it to Franky and Zoro even though she’d spent a lot of her free time with them the past few days. Blaze made sure to keep her new tattoo covered when with them. Zoro had only glanced at the bandage once then dismissed it what she said it wouldn’t hinder her in a fight. 

Zoro was an interesting guy. Kind of dumb and horrendously bad at directions but a good person overall. Early on, she’d taken him out for a night on Grove 16 and watched him try to drink her favorite bar dry.

He was a terrible dancer though, as she’d found out when they visited the nightclub. She’d tried to convince him to visit Jellyfish’s studio first but apparently, his body was a temple not to be sullied by useless pictures. 

Blaze pushed several of her old friends from the Bistro his way for that comment. They’d sure had fun making the swordman blush. She was pretty sure he’d ended up at one of their homes at the end of that night considering he’d disappeared an hour later.

They’d sparred a few more times. It was fun fighting such a skilled swordsman. He was powerful enough to make her arms tingle for hours. It reminded her of Shanks and Mihawk. She only ever seen them exchange one blow but it’d been powerful enough to echo in her ears even now.

Blaze liked Zoro. He was a cool guy. A little intense for sure and not the smartest pirate around but she was happy to follow his orders as the first mate. He was also softhearted and great with kids which caused her to nearly die laughing when she’d figured it out. If he wasn’t so in love with his swords, he’d make a great husband for someone one day. 

Too bad he was an idiot. 

She waved at Shakky and Rayleigh as the Sunny pulled away. Uncle Ray had given her a gift the night before and she ran her fingers along the hilt as they faded from view. Her new adventure was starting and Blaze was nearly vibrating in excitement.

——-

“My music has more than soul. It has power!” Soul King shouted at the top of his lungs. Marine Lieutenant Roddy cursed. The crowd was blocking the way. They couldn’t reach the skeleton from here. Damn this unnatural skeleton. 

“Men! Ready your rifles!” He ordered. Every one of them was equipped with seastone bullets. Expensive but necessary on the Sabaody Archipelago these days. Roddy hated this forsaken place. He was from the South Blue and prayed every day he’d survive until the day he could retire back on his home island. 

“Straw Hat Luffy is out there alive and kicking! You can tell the world! And tell them he is going to be king of the pirates!” Soul King’s words reverberated and bounced off the walls. 

Lieutenant Roddy felt fear course through him. Straw Hat? Fuck. Goddamn. No. The Marines couldn’t handle a guy like that. Not after what he did at Marineford. Roddy couldn’t handle a pirate like that. Not to mention all his allies. Red Hair. Fire Fist. The Dark King. Fuck. 

“FIRE!” Gunshots and screams echoed around the stadium. Smoke blocked the stage. When it cleared away there was a giant hole in the roof and an echoing shout vibrating through the room as Soul King’s last words filled the air.

“Do you LOVE me down to my BONES?”

Damn it. Roddy looked around. Reporters were already furiously screaming into transponder snails. The crowd was cheering exuberantly. His marines were left looking confused and lost. 

Even still, Roddy couldn’t help but let relief make his shoulder slump. Like hell, he wanted to be the person to invite the wrath of Straw Hat Luffy on the marines of Sabaody again. Last time had been before his promotion but he still had nightmares of giant metal arms, dismembered limbs, and huge rubber fists. 

Ugh. He shivered.

He hated this island. 

——

“Meet us at grove 42.” Sanji hung up on Franky and turned to the moss head. Gross. He couldn’t wait to see Nami and Robin. Just the thought caused a little trickle of blood to flow from his nose.

“Huh? What’d he want?” The moss head asked obliviously. 

Sanji felt a headache building. “Navy. Here. We. Run. Ship.” The cook mimed his actions, hoping the dumbass would get it. 

“Stop speaking in one-word sentences, dumbass.” And of course, the swordsman didn’t get it. It was too much to hope two years would have made the man less stupid. 

“I figured it be easier for your muscle brain to understand you simpleton!” They growled at each other before Zoro looked away towards the direction an explosion had just sounded. Sanji puffed on his cigarette. 

“What’s going on over there?” Zoro asked and pointed to Grove 46. Shouting and yelling could be heard. Sanji got a bad feeling. If there was one sure way to find the captain, it was to follow the noise. He grabbed his stupid, infuriating crewmate by the wrist and dragged him towards the commotion. His eyebrow twitched. He wished it was a lady’s hand in his instead of the idiot’s gross, sweaty, muscular limb. 

——-

Luffy was confused and talking to himself. It was a habit he often indulged in. “I know they said I was his boss, but I’ve never seen him before.” He tilted his head as he watched the chaos below him. Weird. Zoro and Sanji were acting different and hanging out with some strange people. He didn’t think two years would change them so much. He scratched under his fake mustache and wondered if the others had changed a lot too. 

The weird-looking dude with the long tongue killed a marine and Luffy wondered if he should step in. Before he could decide, a bunch of those cyborgs from last time showed up. 

“PACAFISTAS!” People screamed. Huh. Was that what they were called? Franky was cooler. 

“I kind of want to beat up those robot guys but Hancock said to stay hidden.” He pondered if he could get away with it. His disguise was foolproof after all. Shouting drew his attention back towards to ground. He squinted. He knew that ax guy. From Sabaody? Maybe Marineford? 

“You’re not Straw Hat you steaming pile of garbage! Not even close!” Axe Guy screamed. Everyone else seemed surprised too. Did that mean that guy was pretending to be him? and Zoro and Sanji weren’t the real Zoro and Sanji. His head started to spin. Ugh, this was confusing.

“Woah, this is blowing my mind. I need to get out of here. Maybe Sanji can make me something to make my head stop hurting.” He started to walk off the stage to daydreams of meat when a giant laser shot toward him. He dodged it effortlessly. Man, they were slow. He felt his cloak get blown off him from the blast.

“THAT’S STRAW HAT LUFFY!” Ax guy was yelling and pointing. “Unlike last time, I’m an official navy officer now. I’m taking you in!” 

“WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA!” Luffy yelled back. He had no idea what this guy was talking about and his disguise was ruined. He geared up and laid out the pacifist with a single haki coated punch. It landed and created a crater in the ground. Luffy jumped back to his bag when familiar voices drew his attention. 

“I knew all I had to do was follow the explosions to find you.” Sanji drawled. Luffy felt a smile start to pull at his lips. He headache went away. He knew that voice.

“By the way Luffy, you are number nine.” Zoro said. Those were definitely his real crewmates!

“ZORO! SANJI!” Luffy shouted in glee and ran to them. “Let’s get out of here!” They all took off and it wasn’t long before they had a huge group of marines chasing them. “Just like old-times, eh Captain?” Zoro asked.

“SHISHISHISHI!” Luffy laughed as they ran. He loved this. He loved his crew. “Man it’s been forever, huh? I bet everyone is so cool now” Luffy stopped and turned when he felt another familiar presence. Zoro and Sanji flanked him.

“RAYLEIGH!” The old man was watching them from a bit away. “THANKS, RAYLEIGH FOR REAL!” He owed the old guy a lot. “I’m going to be the king of the pirates! DO you HEAR ME?!”

Luffy grinned as they started running again. The old guy had their back, Zoro and Sanji had his sides, and Luffy would always keep an eye on their future. Time to restart their journey of dreams!

——

“I finally found you guys!” Chopper yelled as he descended on his old friends from on top of a giant bird. “EH?! WHAT’S WRONG WITH SANJI?”

—-

“YOO HOOOO Nothing could keep me from coming back. I’ve missed you all so.”Brook crooned as he met up with his friends. He turned towards the girls and gazed at them with soulful sockets. “I see you two have only grown lovelier in our time apart….. Please, Nami, may I look at your panties.” He asked politely

“NO WAY IN HELL!” She greeted him with a kick to the face. How lovely. He’d missed their violent navigator. 

“I was expecting to be the last on here.” Brook wondered when he stood back up. His grand finale had been interrupted by marines but it had still run longer than he’d expected. Ahh, he’d miss his fans and their ravenous demands for endless encores. 

“HEEEEEYYYYYYY!” Shouting drew everyone’s gaze to the sky. It was the rest of the Straw Hats and their illustrious Captain. Reunited at last!

The Soul King brought his violin up for a song. His first for his crew in two years. How beautiful. 

———-

Blaze watched as Luffy landed and reunited with the crew. She gave him a moment before his head tilted in her direction and she knew she was caught. She left her bag at the base of the tree and reformed next to him. She hid her nerves by holding her left hand in a fist, it was a trick to appear strong Shakky had taught when she was ten. Luffy gave her a sunny smile and she felt a flutter in his stomach. 

“Blaze? What are you doing here?’” Nami asked curiously and Blaze winked at her. Damn. Was that awkward? Blaze was used to using wink to deflect but she really wanted to impress the crew. Ugh. 

“Look!” Luffy grabbed her a presented her like a prize to the Straw Hats. “I beat her so now she’s part of the crew.” Blaze gave a cheery little wave that did nothing to dispel the nerves she was hiding. What if they didn’t like her?

“Woah, really?” Usopp shouted. She glanced at him. Well, he’d filled out quite well too. She looked around. Everyone looked so strong. Especially compared to when she’d first met them in Alabasta. 

“Shitty Captain! How dare you beat up such a beautiful woman!” Sanji yelled aggressively and moved to kick Luffy before he looked at her and immediately got a nosebleed that made him spin in circles. She frowned. What was up with him?

“SUPER!” Franky shouted as he posed next to Robin. Ah, two people she knew well. Robin certainly looked good. More carefree and unburdened. She’d been in Impel Down when the Straw Hats laid siege to Enies Lobby but she’d learned about it afterward. 

“Welcome to the crew, Blaze.” The archeologist drawled. Blaze gave her a genuine smile. She was happy for her friend. 

“Glad to be here.” She winked at them and turned so the light could catch her new tattoo. The straw hat’s jolly roger gleaned from its place of pride on her shoulder. It caught Luffy’s eye immediately. 

“WOAH! SO COOL! I love it,” He grabbed her arm for a closer look. “Now everyone will know who you belong to!” Blaze fought down her blush. She’d known he would like it but it still felt good to hear it. 

“Oh my Luffy, how forward of you.” Robin teased and Nami giggled next to her. 

“You can’t just say that to a girl! Dumbass.” The navigator tried to lecture but her devilish smile gave her away. 

“Possessive much, captain?” Blaze asked when he released her arm from his inspection. Her skin tingled from the rough skin on his hands and strong grip. Damn. She needed to get a grip. He messed with her head too much. 

“What are you guys talking about? " Luffy complained. “You should all get tattoos too!”

“Shitty captain! Don’t tell the girls what to do with their bodies!” Sanji yelled before he caught sight of the girls and promptly bled everywhere. Blaze stepped back. Then she took another step back as another spurt of blood shot out of him. 

“Eh, is he…dead?” She’d never seen someone do that. Perhaps he had a medical condition?

Nami sighed heavily next to her. “Welcome to the Straw Hats, Blaze. You’ll be regretting it before the day is over”

———

“We need to get out of here before the navy is on top of us.” Nami ordered when she sighted the marines ships ahead of them. Usopp cringed before he could stop himself. Old habits die hard, after all. 

“Too late, oh no! They’re going to hit the Sunny!” Usopp yelped as a barrage of cannonballs came down on them.

“SLAVE ARROW” A cry rang out on the ship as all the cannonballs were hit with arrows and turned to stone. He glanced around curiously and red hair caught his eye. Maybe she was an archer?

“That flag. It can’t be?” Robin asked shocked. “The Kuja Pirates? The legendary Pirate empress?” Usopp perked up and brought his binoculars to his eyes in the direction Robin was looking. 

“Oh, Hancock? She said she wasn’t coming here.” Luffy waved it off. Usopp felt himself freeze. Hancock? As in, Boa Hancock? The Warlord?

“Do you know her?”Robin asked. The sniper found himself shamelessly eavesdropping. 

“Yeah, I made friends with her when that bear guy sent me to her island. She’s a weirdo.”

Usopp despaired at his oblivious captain. Only he could go to a place like that and come out calling a warlord a weirdo. He jumped as someone suddenly sprang up from he deck. 

“The hell?” Usopp tore his gaze from the lovely sight in his lenses to glare at the blonde cook. 

“YOU WENT TO THE LEGENDARY WOMEN-ONLY ISLAND?” Sanji screamed in fury at their captain before snatching the binoculars from Usopp and peering through them. He turned to stone on the spot. 

“OH NO! CHOPPER!!” Usopp yelled for the reindeer who came hurtling over to inspect the rock hard cook. 

“Oh no! I don’t know how to fix this.” Chopper wailed. Usopp kneeled next to his panicking crewmates trying to think if he knew any plants to cure certification. Mandrake root, maybe?

“Leave him.” Nami ordered. “It’s his own fault.” 

“So cold.” Usopp shivered. “I’m glad to see you haven’t changed, sea witch.” He mumbled the last part under his breath. 

“What was that?!” She snapped.

“Nothing! Leaving him alone!” Usopp held up his hands to placate her. 

“Um, I don’t understand. Is he okay? It’s a medical condition? Can I help?” Blaze slid up next to them with a concerned look on her face. 

Usopp felt an intense surge of embarrassment. How was he supposed to tell his new crewmate that Sanji’s only disease was an incurable case of lechery. She probably thought she was joining a cool crew of powerful warriors. Usopp didn’t want to be the one to ruin her expectations so soon. 

“Ignore him, Blaze. It’s a deadly case of stupidity. He can’t be helped.” Nami said. 

“It’s true!” Chopper wailed. “It’s all in his head!”

“Ah!” Blaze exclaimed. “Mental illness. I see.” She cast a sympathetic glance towards the statuesque cook. “We all have our demons.” She nodded solemnly and Usopp felt sweat bead on his temple.

“Yes.” He said. “Mental illness. It’s terrible. Incurable.”

“Oh no,” Blaze reached over to pat him on the shoulder. “Don’t think like that. With great friends like you all supporting him, I’m sure Sanji will be fine.”

Chopper sniffled. “You think so?”

“Sure do.” Blaze said. “Why I once had a friend with a horrible case of Apotemnophilia.”

“NO!” Chopper gasped and Usopp leaned forward curiously. “He survived?”

“What's that?” He asked. She didn’t answer. 

Blaze looked awkward for a brief moment. He eyes slid to the side. “Ah. Well. No. He cut off his own head.”

“WHAT?!” Usopp shrieked with Chopper. 

“But Sanji won’t do that! Because he has supportive friends like you, see?” She added semi-frantically.

“Like your friend had you?” Usopp yelped as he backed away. She glared at him and her green eyes cut through him like a knife. 

“Hey. Low blow, man.” She pouted. “I tried my best okay? I was a kid.”

Chopper tremulously spoke up. “It's okay Blaze. It wasn’t your fault. And Sanji’s not going to do anything like that. He promised he would see the All blue before he died. It’s his dream.”

Usopp nodded. “We all have dreams. I’m going to be a brave warrior of the sea.”

“And I’m going to be a great doctor!”

“Dreams, huh?” She mused. Usopp found himself staring at her in expectation. Chopper mirrored him at his side. 

“And you?” He prodded. Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth to speak before she was cut off by Nami shouting over the deck. 

“OKAY! Everyone get in position to set sail.” 

Usopp watched as the coating expanded to create an air bubble that covered the entire ship. He poked it gingerly. Hmm, it seemed sturdy enough. 

“Bag’s deflated.” Franky said as he crawled up the side of the ship. 

“Awesome, you guys ready?” Nami asked. They all nodded

“That it, Nami?” Luffy asked the navigator as he stepped up on the ledge. Usopp leaned forward. Ooooh, a speech. He loved speeches. 

“Yeah, just say the word, Captain!”

“Alright.” Luffy took a deep breath and grinned at all of them. Usopp couldn’t help but grin back. Luffy had a way of making the surliest of people smile. He glanced over at Zoro. Yep, that was a smile on his grumpy, one-eyed face. Usopp wondered over the story behind that before his attention was caught by his captain. “Listen up, guys. There’s a lot I want to say but I don’t have time. What you went through the past two years was selfish of me, so thank you.”

“You make it sound like it’s never happened before.” A newly flesh and blood Sanji commented. Usopp hadn’t even noticed him stand up. He did notice him determinedly not looking at any of the girls as he climbed up into the rigging with Zoro 

“That’s no joke. You’ve always been a selfish piece of work” Usopp complained to Luffy. 

Their captain laughed freely. Every one of Usopp’s crewmates smiled fiercely at the sound. “SPREAD THE SAIL”

“RIGHT” Zoro and Sanji chorused as they jumped down to unfurl the sail in perfect harmony. Usopp clenched his fist in excitement at the sight of their Jolly Roger. That emblem was one of his proudest pieces of art and it always would be. 

“Let’s GO!” Luffy yelled. “WE’RE OFF TO FISHMAN ISLAND”  
——

Robin approached the redhead after they’d sunk beneath the ocean and escaped the marines. The other girl had filled out and her hair was longer than when she last saw her. Although Blaze always wore her blonde wig back in Alabasta, she’d taken it off in the privacy of Robin’s rooms more than once. 

“I didn’t expect to ever see you again.”

Blaze looked up at the taller woman from beneath her lashes. “I always knew we’d meet again. Fate has a way of never standing between a pair of star-crossed lovers, after all.”

“I suppose so.” Robin held her sultry gaze for a moment before the redhead’s twitching lips gave her away and both girls started laughing. 

“You’ve been doing well for yourself with the revolutionaries from what I heard.”

Robin looked at her curiously. “Oh, keeping tabs on me?”

“Of course! I like to know how my friends are doing.” 

“Hmm well, I seem to recall hearing about the exploits of a certain red-haired girl aboard a Yonko’s ship over the past two years.” Robin had asked around on the revolutionary base about the redhead but she’d only met three people familiar with the redhead. They were a secretive bunch. Robin liked them.

“Oh well, you caught me. Dad wanted to keep me close after I got shoved in Impel Down. I sure did learn a lot sailing with him.”

“Like what?” Robin asked. “You never told me about him.”

“I was undercover in Alabasta, Robin.” Blaze mused. “Our cover story sure did come in handy with Crocodile when I ran into him in prison.”

“I’m sure it did. Mr. 0 was quite invested in our love story.” Robin had many complex feelings about her old boss. Attempted murder notwithstanding, four years was a long time to spend at a person’s side. 

“Ehh love story? You have a secret lover, robin?!” Usopp interrupted from where he’d stopped in shock while heading towards the galley. “Who is it?!”

Blaze and Robin shared a secretive smile. “Just a girl who stole my heart in the heat of a desert.”

“Stole your heart!? My Sweet ROBIN! Oh no! Tell me who broke your delicate heart! Let me soothe it for you, my beautiful moonflower!” Sanji twirled into view from where he’d been drawn by Usopp’s shouts. He soon started to spout blood and fell to the deck. Robin watched curiously as Blaze’s face filled with sympathy. 

“SUPER NOT COOL!” Frank shouted. “Heartbreak? I’ll blow them up for you if you want!”

Robin just smiled as Blaze grinned next to her. She thought the redhead would fit right in with the Straw Hats. 

——-

“So, uh, you’re pretty strong, huh?” Usopp commented as he slid up to Blaze. He wanted to get to know his new crewmate. He remembered meeting her once before in Alabasta but it’d only been for a few hours and he’d honestly been more interested in Fire Fist. 

“Depends on who you ask. And you?” Usopp figured the woman really did look like a pirate. Whenever he’d imagined girl pirates as a kid he thought of strong female warriors covered in jewelry and scars. Blaze was all that and more. Tattoos peeked out from under her clothes and he spotted deep claw marks on her arm. A nasty burn scar covered one foot and her red hair gleamed under the light peaking in on them from above the ocean. With her sword perched on her hip, she made an altogether intimidating sight. 

Too bad she was so short. He had to look down to meet her eyes. It kind of ruined the effect. Plus her ears were weirdly pointy. Usopp stopped himself. He had no room to talk about weirdly pointy body parts.

“Yeah, I’m strong! Not like those monsters though.” He pointed behind his back with a thumb where Zoro, Sanji, and Luffy were all playing together. Ahh well, he meant they were all being manly men together on the other side of the Sunny. 

“That’s okay. We’re all different. I could never do what you do.” 

“Ahhh well, I’m a famous marksman back home!” Usopp’s nose started to turn red. “What are you good at?”

“Spying on people.”

“Eh? A spy?” Usopp didn’t know any spies. Though he supposed Robin might count. 

“Information gathering, infiltration, disguise. I suppose I’m quite good at assassination too….”

“EEHHH ASSASSINATION?!” He leaned away from her. Maybe she had been the one to cut her friend’s head off?

“I picked it up after escaping prison. You know how it goes. ”

“PRISON?!” What the hell kind of person had Luffy brought aboard? She was scary! 

Although he guessed that explained all the ink on her skin.

——

“Check up time for everyone!” Chopper announced on the deck. He was exuberantly happy to be back with his crew after so long apart. Reindeers weren’t meant to be away from their herd for so long. 

The tiny doctor bounced around the Sunny. “I need to give everyone a check-up!”

Groans greeted him. He felt an ear twitch. “NOW GUYS! Come on. Don’t be difficult.” 

Usopp shoved Blaze forward. “Here, start with her! Newbies first.”

The redhead stumbled forward with wide eyes. “Um.”

“Great! Come with me! I’ll show you my office.” He grabbed her hand and dragged her away to the ship’s infirmary. “Any preexisting conditions I should know about?” He asked when the door shut. 

“No?” She stood awkwardly. He gestured for her to sit on the bed.

“Medications? Allergies?”

“Just these.” She pulled a little pill bottle out of her pocket.

Chopper scowled. “These are terrible for you. I’ll mix up some better ones and keep you supplied.”

“Ah, thank you, Doctor.” She smiled at him. 

“Don’t think you calling me Doctor makes me happy!” He squirmed in his seat. “Now, let’s check your blood pressure and heart.” He busied himself with pricking her finger and pumping air into the pressure cuff. It was a little low but nothing to worry over. He placed his stethoscope on her chest. 

“Your breathing is a little off. Any injuries I should know about?”

“Well,” She mused. “I was impaled once.” 

“IMPALED?!” He shrieked. What the hell. 

“Just a little. During the war.” A little?!

“Don’t try to brush that off! Ugh. Shirt off. I can tell I won’t be able to trust you about your health.”

“Hey, that’s rude.” She protested but followed his orders.

“Tough luck, Blaze. Your health is my responsibility now.” Chopper despaired at having another difficult crewmate.

———

“Beautiful red rose, tell me how do you light the fire of my heart and the flames of my passion with just a gla-”

“BLAZE! COME HERE!” Luffy wrapped a rubbery limb around her waist and snatched her away from the blonde cook. She went flying across the deck and landed in her captain’s arms. “This is my special seat! See?”

Blaze looked back at the fuming chef then at her captain, she’d hoped for a chance to talk with the chef when he wasn’t bleeding. “Oh? It’s nice. Perfect for stargazing.”

“Cloudwatching too!” Luffy added. He’d thrown an arm over her shoulders. Blaze had noticed before, but her captain’s skin had an odd texture. Rubbery. 

Shouting drew her attention back to Sanji. Zoro and the chef were butting heads and looked close to coming to blows. She tilted her head in curiosity before Luffy grabbed her attention again.

“Don’t worry about them! Sanji and Zoro are just saying how much they missed each other.” Luffy nodded along to his words as if they were absolute. Blaze watched as Sanji’s leg met Zoro’s blade and guessed she could maybe see it? If she squinted?

“I WILL CUT YOU IN HALF NUMBER 7!” Zoro roared.

“Whatever you say, Captain.”

“Shishishi.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took longer than usual. A lot of really bad stuff happened over the past 2 weeks. It's been hard for me to think so it might be another 2 weeks for the next update. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blaze rethinks recent decisions

Blaze idly watched as a coated pirate ship approached the Thousand Sunny. It seemed full of a rowdy bunch. She stared as they attempted to board and then their apparent captain was left behind when the sea monster pulling their ship freaked out. 

Caribou, she recognized him from his bounty, swaggered on towards them with cocky words and a cocksure gait. She had a fog bullet formed and ready to launch before she consciously realized it. 

Shanks had helped her develop that skill. She’d struggled for years trying to find an offensive tactic for her Fog Fog Fruit. When she’d asked for his help it’d taken him seconds to suggest adjusting the density to create bullets. With a touch of Haki and an ounce of skill, she had deadly projectiles whenever she wanted. 

Her dad may act a fool but Blaze was pretty sure he was one of the smartest people she knew. Luffy actually reminded her a lot of Shanks. She glanced over at her Captian and let her bullet dissolve. Caribou was on his knees begging for mercy. Luffy had it handled. 

Blaze knew intellectually she was strong but she was also used to being the weakest person around. It was an adjustment being on a nearly equal footing to those around her. She’d been raised by Dark King Rayleigh and Red Hair Shanks. Blaze was leagues above most fighters. With Shakky’s influence, she was one of the best spies out there too. 

She knew what she had to offer. She knew how valuable she was. 

But she also knew that wasn’t why Luffy wanted her on his crew. He wanted her for who she was not who she was related to or friends with. 

And Blaze had some powerful friends. She could do a lot of damage with her connections. One of the advantages to living her last ten years of life as a spy for the revolution and under the tutelage of Shakky. Not the mention all the people she’d met at the Bistro and in Impel Down. 

She had a dream though. It was something Blaze had only recently realized. All the time spent listening in on selfish people and heartless thugs had driven it home. For so long she’d been focused on freedom. Freedom for the slaves, for oppressed people, for pirates. But Blaze had done a lot of talking with her father on the Red Force and she had realized something. She wanted freedom for herself. 

Blaze had told her father all the things she knew, the dirty secret of the Celestial Dragons and the bloody history of the Navy. She wasn’t supposed to know any of it. In the back of her mind, she wondered what kind of story she was weaving. A vague, indistinguishable thought in the back of her head said it was a story that had already been told. 

Shanks listened to her with an unwavering ear for an entire year.

Blaze sometimes had the odd thought that she might have unintentionally radicalized her father. But that was a ridiculous thought. Shanks was an immovable force and she probably didn’t have much of an effect on him. She’d just needed his ear before she exploded. And it had helped her so much. 

Talking it out made her realize what she wanted. She wanted to be a pirate, but she didn’t want to be a Red Hair pirate. She wanted to be free, but she didn’t want to be stuck. She wanted to know things, secrets kept from most, but she was tired of being a spy. 

Most of all, one day she wanted to raise a family. She’d had a life before this. Blaze knew that. She couldn’t remember it but she knew she’d not been able to have a family of her own. Occasionally, vague thoughts would float through her brain and she knew they were memories of things that didn’t exist here. There were no details though. 

Often, Blaze was scared about all the things she forgot. She wondered if she should start writing things down. Surely it wasn’t normal? To forget so much? Why did she have so much trouble remembering? 

But then again, what about her was normal?

“KRAKEN!” Usopp shouted across the deck and Blaze snapped her head toward him.

“Cool!” Luffy yelled. “I want to make it my pet!” 

She stared at him. 

What? 

She looked up, and up and up. Oh. That was a Kraken. Her observation pinged as she turned to watch Caribou’s ship head back towards them in what she could only assume was a rescue attempt. 

It didn’t get far. Blaze heard Caribou scream in despair as the Kraken crushed his ship and all his crewmates along with it. She felt several lives get snuffed out but not all of them. She winced. 

Zoro, Sanji, and Luffy were coating themselves with bubbles so they could go fight the Kraken. 

Blaze could feel herself start to panic. She pushed it down with a deep breath. She knew several of the Straw Hats had observation haki but she didn’t think theirs was as strong as hers. 

Uncle Ray had made sure her observation had awakened when she was still a child and he’d never stopped training it. The straw hats with haki had two years of experience if that. They definitely didn’t feel the lives being snuffed out on that ship. It was too far away for them. 

She breathed through it but flashes of the last time she’d felt that many lives get snuffed out flashed behind her eyes. War, blood, her sword sliding effortlessly through flesh.

Her eyes opened again without permission as the Kraken attacked and Luffy yelled. “I’m going to capture it and teach it to the pull the Sunny!”

“Uhhh…?” Should she help? Indecision gripped her. By the time she hopped to her feet, the boys had already charged forward in their individual bubbles. 

“THIRD GEAR ARMAMENT”

“DIABLE JAMBLE”

“THREE SWORDS STYLE, SIX PATHS”

“WOAH!” Franky yelled from her right. “SUPER!”

“GUM GUM ELEPHANT GUN” Luffy’s fist turned black in a powerful attack that impacted the Kraken in a violent and merciless blow. 

Blaze whistled, impressed despite herself. “Ouch.”

“HE BLEW IT AWAY!” Usopp screamed. Blaze slowly unclenched her fist. They had it handled. She could trust her crewmates. 

A shark with a red tank top popped out of the Kraken in an absurd twist of events. Some deep part of Blaze was incredulous but most of her just accepted it. She’d seen weirder. The shark flailed in a familiar way. Was it bowing? Wait… was Luffy bowing back? She didn’t know he had manners.

Blaze blinked. Her eyes fluttered closed for a fraction of a second. 

She looked towards the rest of the crew as they started to yell in panic. When she turned back the boys were gone. Luffy, Sanji, and Zoro had been sucked into an undersea current and she felt them get sucked away until they were out of her range.

What the fuck. She looked around at the remaining, panicking Straw Hats. How the fuck had things gone so bad so fast? 

An ominous feeling started to build up in her gut. Maybe she shouldn’t have been so quick to jump on Luffy’s ship. She had a feeling these people might be a couple of steps to the right of sane. 

—-

An hour or two into their descent, Blaze caught Franky’s eyes and tilted her head towards a barrel. The cyborg followed her gaze to the suspiciously noisy, supposedly empty barrel. 

Hmm. He reached for his hammer. That freaky dude with the tongue was starting to get on his nerves. In less than a minute he had the barrel sealed and nailed shut. He pounded on it in satisfaction. Good luck getting out of there, freak dude. 

“Impressive as ever, Franky.” Blaze said from over his shoulder. Ahh, well under his armpit. She hadn’t gotten much taller since he met her all those years ago. 

“Not a problem, little sis.” He turned to face her. “But I was wondering…. what are you doing on this ship?”

“Eh.” Blaze looked lost. Franky felt for her. It was probably hard to go from spy to pirate.

“ I mean, what do you want to do?” He prodded. He owed the girl for warning them about the spies all those years ago. Who knows the damage they would’ve done if Iceberg was oblivious. And she’d been right, they had tried to kill Baka-berg. Plus, she was a new crewmember. Franky wanted to help.

“I like to eavesdrop? And spy on people?” She said. “And disguises. I’m great at disguises.”

“Huh. Sounds like you’d make a great scout. Especially with those Devil Fruit powers of yours.” 

“A scout?” Blaze asked curiously. Franky nodded. 

“Yeah! You go scope out to lay of the land and report back.” Franky liked the idea more and more as he thought about it.

“I don’t know if Luffy would like that. He likes surprises.” She said with a contemplative hand on her chin. Franky could she was thinking about it. 

“Our captain is SUPER weird. That’s for sure. But you probably know a lot we don’t. You’ve been to the New World before, after all.”

“What? Blaze you’ve been to the New World?” Nami asked suddenly. Usopp and Chopper floated over to listen in. Franky guessed they didn’t really know anything about their new crewmate. 

“Yeah, I spent a year aboard the Red Force with my dad.”She said nonchalantly. Franky grinned at her. She was such a troublemaker no matter how much she tried to pretend otherwise. Blaze would fit right in. 

“WHAT!?” Usopp yelped unexpectedly. “With Red Hair Shanks?!”

She gave him a dry look. “Uh yeah? My dad.” The silent ‘duh’ was left unsaid but heard nonetheless. 

“So cool!” Chopper squealed as he danced in place. Franky chuckled at the little dude. He sure was cute. The cyborg had missed the little doctor. 

“My dad’s a pirate on your dad’s ship,” Usopp said with a weird look. Franky didn’t get it but Blaze apparently did. 

“I have some really funny stories I could tell you about Yasopp.” She offered to the sniper. He lit up. 

“Really?” Usopp shot forward in excitement to grab the redhead by the hands. Franky watched curiously. He didn’t really know anything about Usopp’s past but it seemed like the two kids had quite the connection. 

A giant explosion drew his attention away and towards Nami. “An underwater volcano! All hands on deck! We have to get away!”

“Aye!” They all coursed. In the absence of Luffy and Zoro, they all knew Nami was in charge. 

“Franky! Get us out of here!” She ordered.

“No problem, Sis!” Hell, she was in charge even when the first mate and captain were on board. “Hold on tight everyone! COUP DE BURST TIMES THREE”

——-

Usopp didn’t have long to fanboy over Blaze’s connection to his father before they were forced into high gear. With the monster trio missing in action, it was up to them to ensure the safety of the Sunny.

The crew barely escaped a fiery, molten death before a giant Angler Fish was trying to eat them. Then a giant seaman appeared and scared the life out of him by crushing the ugly fish in one blow. Was everything down here giant? His heart was pounding with adrenaline and his palms were sweaty. 

He did not miss the absolute insanity that was life as a Straw Hat while on his little hellhole of an island. 

“Hey! That’s naughty! You’re not allowed to eat ships! Captian Vaderdecken won’t be happy to hear about this!” The sea monster was talking. It sounded like a child. He shivered. That was straight freaky. 

Usopp had less than a minute to freak out over the talking sea monster before a chill raced through him and he spotted something on the horizon. Was that…? “A GHOST SHIP!” He screamed. This was too much!

Chopped screamed next to him as a decrepit, ghastly ship slowly approached them. A haunting melody reached their ears. 

“Dead men tell no tales.  
and dead men have no need  
I pluck the rings right off their hands  
within these shadowy seas.”

“We’re going to die!” Brook screamed as he collapsed to the ground in a click, clacky pile of bones.

“Dead men have no regrets  
and no tears left to weep  
I’ll pluck the crowns right off their heads  
withing this cold black deep.”

“None of this didn’t happen last time I came this way,” Blaze mused aloud. Usopp barely heard her over his terror. He was supposed to be a brave warrior of the sea, Damnit!

“Sunken treasure free for the taking  
a king of pirates in the making  
iI leave my enemies weeping and Shaking  
Vanderdecken is my name  
and these long lost riches are mine for the taking.”

“I wonder whose voice that is. It very alluring.” Robin said. Chopper whimpered and Brook screamed again. Robin always had to make things worse, didn’t she?

“Nows not the time Robin! That’s the legendary flying dutchman! It shouldn’t be here! It should exist!” The skeleton pleaded. His bone-white fingers were clutching his afro in a vain attempt at grasping the reality of the situation. Usopp would be doing the same if his hair wasn’t bound back in braids at the moment. 

“Hey, is that the Kraken again?” Franky said. Oh great. They were going to die before they even made it to the New World. If that wasn’t enough, the sea man-monster raised his fist to the Sunny in a blatant attempt to destroy them. Usopp squeezed his eyes shut. 

A great crash echoed around the Sunny, muffled from the deep sea around them. “Alright! He learned his lesson. Enough! Good boy!” Luffy’s voice rang out. Usopp cracked an eye open and gaped. 

“HEEEEEEEYYYY!”

There was his Captain atop the Kraken. Seemed he tamed the beast after all. How did he forget how insane Luffy was? Had he convinced himself his memory was exaggerating? 

“LUFFFYY we thought you were gone forever” Chopper cried out as the lost boys returned. 

“Surume, Now pull us forward! Let’s go!” Luffy shouted. Oh great, his captain had named it. Now they were stuck with it forever. Still, as they landed on the deck, Usopp was happy to see his lost crewmates. 

“AN UNDERSEA VOLCANO! Straight ahead.” Nami shouted. Usopp felt tears of frustration build behind his eyes. Why did he ever miss these psychopaths? He readied his slingshot, he was too young to die.

——

Blaze found herself watching Sanji after the trio returned. He seemed normal. She’d been worried about the chef. She knew Zoro and Luffy could take care of themselves but the blonde chef seemed oddly fragile. She wondered what horrors haunted him that caused him to spew blood and turn to stone. Was his past really that traumatic?

She wished she could help. Blaze knew a thing or two about demons. She took a step towards the man but before she could do anything the Thousand Sunny plunged over a cliff in the grasp of a Kraken and it was all she could do to hold on tight. 

Damn. Did things always move this fast with these guys?

The next few moments passed in flashes. Giant plants saved them from a rock avalanche, the Kraken was knocked out and abandoned them, a giant circus of sea monsters confronted them, and then they were plunging through the double bubble of Fishman Island. 

This was not how they were supposed to enter Fishman Island. What the hell was wrong with these people?

She barely had time to panic before water engulfed her body, an arm like a steel band wrapped around her waist, and she was passing out. 

—-

Mihawk was used to being calm, rational, and cold. Something about Boa Hancock made him throw it all out the window. 

She was a bratty little girl too powerful for her own good. But Mihawk was shaper than most and he sensed the darkness within her. Her pettiness and desire to destroy the world. She hid it well but Mihawk wasn’t the world’s greatest swordsman for nothing. He tasted it in the air when they spared. Her lust for battle coated his tongue. 

He’d not expected to leave Marineford with a new sparring partner. Their fight two years ago had been fantastic. Her strong, haki-covered legs meeting each and every swing from his sword. The sheer audacity to tangle with him over the Straw Hat boy. Her conquerors coating the entire area with her will. It was intoxicating. 

If Mihawk hadn’t sparred with Shanks so often he might have faltered. As it was, Red Hair had the strongest conquerers in the world and Mihawk’s will was unfaltering. 

Still, Boa Hancock was interesting. He had pondered on her during the journey back to Kuraigana Island and his thoughts were only interrupted by the discovery of two intruders on his island. 

Roronoa Zoro and a pink-haired girl. Quite a surprise. Even more of a surprise was Zoro’s reaction to the news he brought. When the swordsman eventually prostrated himself before him, Mihawk could do nothing but laugh. 

It seemed life got more interesting by the day.

But there was only so much of the moody teens Mihawk could handle. He had his warlord duties. And, after much deliberation over many glasses of wine, he had a woman to seduce. 

He’d never expected failure. But two years later and he’d still not bedded the pirate empress. 

He hunted her down as she sailed the seas with her crew and they sparred. He enticed her to dinner more than once after a warlord meeting and they sparred. He showed up unannounced off the coast of her island with a bottle of wine and they sparred. 

It was invigorating but Mihawk would like to show her a different type of sparring. All of his innuendos seemed to fly right over her head. 

By the time Mihawk realized the woman knew nothing about desires of the flesh or the more carnal acts in life, it was too late. He couldn’t give up. Never in his life had he given up. 

Boa Hancock fancied herself in love with the Straw Hat boy. A childish infatuation that irked Mihawk. He was determined to show her the difference between that boy and a real man if it killed him. 

He aimed his little ship in her direction again. Now that he’d rid himself of his little student he had more free time. Maybe flowers this time? Blood red roses wrapped in a golden cloth to compliment her glowing complexion and jewelry. Hmm. Jewelry? There’s a thought. 

—-

Zoro forced his eyes open. His arm was slung over someone. He looked. It was the redhead. He stretched out his observation and all he felt were animals. 

He sat up with a groan and looked around. They’d been heading down so if he went up then he was bound to find the rest of the crew. A moan drew his attention down towards Blaze. 

She drowsily opened her eyes. Her wet hair slapped against her skin as she sat up. She looked a bit like a drowned rat. “What the fuck.”

“Hey,” Zoro said. “Wanna spar?”

Blaze turned a dazed gaze towards him. A second of silence. “No.”

Zoro slumped a bit. He liked sparring with her. “Whatever.”

“Where are we?” She asked and he shrugged. “Right. Dumb question.” She closed her eyes again. “There are people west of us.” 

He looked at her suspiciously. “I don’t feel anyone.”

She leveled a dry gaze at him. “If you think you’re an haki expert after two years, you’re delusional, Zoro.”

The swordsman didn’t like that. He’d worked hard while separated from his crew. This girl seemed determined to remind him it wasn’t enough. He glared at her. 

She softened. “Thank you for grabbing me. I remember that much before I passed out.”

“Whatever. You’re crew. Don’t thank me.” Zoro brushed it off. Luffy said she was crew so she was. It didn’t hurt that he liked the idea of an on-demand sparring partner. “You sure you don’t want to spar?” He asked again. 

“I’m sure. Maybe later?” She offered as she stood. Zoro mulled it over. Later was better than never. 

“Yes.” He agreed. “Later.”

—-

Chopper was worried. Sanji was bleeding everywhere and it wasn’t stopping. He’d nearly depleted Sunny’s supply of Type S but there were a few bags left. Too bad he didn’t know where Sunny was. The beautiful mermaids definitely weren’t helping. 

“I can take you to Madam Sharley. She can always help!” Camie exclaimed as Sanji collapsed on her and Chopper panicked. Luffy looked grim next to him and Chopper hated it. Damn Sanji for being such a pervert. What was wrong with him? Chopper really didn’t understand. He’d been bleeding everywhere since Sabaody and showed no signs of stopping. Ugh, his crew were the worst. 

They left Camie’s place to head toward this Sharley person and made it to the Mermaid Cove before they were attacked by the same Fishman who stopped them outside of Fishman Island’s bubble. Chopper thought they were called the New Fishman Pirates? All he knew for sure was that they made Nami extremely uncomfortable and he didn’t know why.

They were weaklings anyway. Luffy took care of them easily with nothing but a scratch to show for it. Chopper sniffed. A poisoned scratch. Seas, he couldn’t catch a break. 

He threw Sanji on a couch when they arrived at the back entrance of the Mermaid Cafe. He’d be fine while Chopper treated Luffy.

“Give me your arm, Luffy. I smell poison.” He demanded. His captain didn’t hesitate to hand it over. 

“Really? I feel fine.” Luffy inspected the cut curiously. Chopper was surprised to find no swelling, pus, or other indication of poison. He sniffed again and barely stopped himself from gagging.

“Yeah. It’s poison alright. But it’s not reacting right. Have you come into contact with any poison in the past two years?”

Luffy thought about it. “Yeah! There was a Poison-Poison man in Impel Down. Ugh. That sucked.”

Chopped nodded. “I don’t know his powers or how you survived but it seems like you’re immune to this particular poison. I’ll keep an eye out. Now Usopp, come help me with Sanji!” 

—-

Luffy was having an interesting time on Fishman Island. His crew was scattered everywhere and Sanji kept bleeding. Nobody wanted to donate blood and everyone stared at them suspiciously. It was starting to get on his nerves. 

“Come on Luffy-chin, Usopp-chin. I want to introduce you to someone.” Camie’s cheery voice cut through Luffy’s growing grumpiness. 

“Do they have meat?” He was getting hungry. The mermaids were nice enough but they needed more meat in their diet. 

“Hey, big lady! Fish lady, tell me what this is!” Luffy yelled over his shoulder. It was a big shiny ball. Luffy kept seeing flashes in it. Familiar images he could barely make out. He didn’t want to look away 

“Wow, that was rude!” Camie scolded. 

“It’s also on the list of things you’re not allowed to touch,” Sharley said coldly. 

“That’s Madam Sharley’s crystal ball. She can see the future with it. It’s why she’s so famous.” Camie added. 

“Well, it used to be. Not any more. The future isn’t ours to know.” Smoke curled out of her mouth as she gazed cooly in the space beside his head. He looked. There was nothing there. Well. She was weird.

“Sounds rough.” Luffy nodded. “By the way, how do mermaids take a dump?” Nami wasn’t here to punch him for asking and he had to know. Usopp slapped him on the back of the head with a scolding in her place. He pouted. Luffy was never going to get that question answered. 

“Don’t you have any CLASS!” Sharley snarled at them and Usopp pushed his head down in a bow. 

“Sorry!” 

Sharley relaxed back with a bone-deep sigh. “Why don’t you take the day off Camie. Show your friends the island.”

As Camie led them back out to the front of the cafe, Luffy couldn’t resist throwing another glance back at the crystal ball. The images floating around in there had changed. He couldn’t make them out. Usopp dragged him from the room before he could move closer. He felt eyes following him out but forgot about it soon enough. 

It was a mystery ball. He’d ask Robin about it later if he remembered. 

—-

Nami was never happier than when she was getting a good deal. Fishman Island’s store had the cutest outfits. She’d picked something out for her crewmates and was haggling for an even steeper discount when half her crew walked in with that starfish from two years ago.

“Monsieur Pappagu!” Her victim shot over to them. “Please, we have a troublesome customer.” Nami narrowed her eyes. If that’s how he wanted to play it… 

She marched over and snatched him up. “This is your store?” She demanded. “Why’s it so expensive! Are you trying to rip me off?” She shook him back and forth. 

“No no! We’re friends, right?!” He frantically pulled himself away. She let him. “For you? Everything is free.”

The attendant gasped, scandalized and Nami smirked victoriously. “Wow, so generous.” She turned to her crew. “You know what to do. Take it all!”

Pappagu whimpered. “So merciless.”

By the time they left the store, it was empty. Nami was pleased. Her crew was terribly hard on clothes. Most of the men had terrible fashion sense, with the notable exception of Sanji. She shot a side-eye at Brook. The skeleton was wrapped in a bright orange feather boa and baby blue ascot. 

Nami shuddered. 

At least Robin always had a sympathetic ear to listen to Nami rants about their lack of fashion sense. Blaze would probably listen too. The redhead was very fashionable. Nami had an eye for quality and spotted the luxurious and expensive clothing the other girl wrapped herself in from a mile away. 

A girl after her own heart. She was looking forward to having another girl on the crew. Although, she did wonder how Luffy had convinced her to join. There had to be more to the story than a fight. 

A commotion drew attention as several people were looking up. A giant whale was descending with a big, hairy merman on top. Cries of “King Neptune” echoed around her and Nami felt her fingers twitch. Kings general had many beautiful and expensive items for her. 

“Here my words straw hat people.” The king bellowed. “The reason I am here.” Pappagu and Camie were freaking out next to the Straw Hats. “Is to invite you all to the RYUGU PALACE!” Beri gleamed in Nami’s eyes. Success. She hadn’t even had to lift a finger. She’d certainly be lifting things once they reached the palace though. 

“Personally inviting them to the palace?!” Camie screeched. Pappagu was nearly fainting beside the mermaid. Nami lifted herself onto the back of the giant shark. Hmm, it seemed familiar 

“Come on guys! Its, not a problem, right grandpa?” Nami said to the King. He shook his massive head. Luffy was cheering about a banquet and Usopp peered curiously at the shark’s giant, razor-sharp teeth. 

“Please, join us. Speaking of guests, I already invited one to the palace. He was quite rude. Started drinking before the banquet and was very demanding. ” King Neptune said.

“Ugh, that’s Zoro. Sorry about him. He’s feral. We try our best, but we haven’t been able to housetrain him yet.” If that moss head messed this up for her, she would charge him so much interest he’d drown in it. 

“I see.” The King said solemnly. “Very kind of you to take in a lost cause like that.”

She batted her eyes at him. “It’s terribly difficult. We try our best.”

—-

Blaze had lost Zoro hours ago. She’d started heading west in the direction of an intimately familiar presence and assumed he would follow her. 

When she turned back around, he’d been long gone. She’d not even felt his haki disappearing which meant he’d either gone too quickly for her to notice or was very good at suppressing his presence. 

That was her fault entirely. Zoro was terrible at directions. The time they spent together on Sabaody taught her that. She never should have turned her back. 

Damn. Every time she turned around the Straw Hats were causing trouble. Blaze sighed heavily. Oh well, she looked down at her tattooed shoulder. It was too late now.

She needed a nap. 

The sea forest she walked through had an overabundance of coral, fish, and shipwrecks. It was a hauntingly beautiful place. Creepy too. Blaze was used to hearing the crashing of waves wherever she went. 10,000 meters under the sea it was quiet. 

When she’d come here before with her father, they’d come through the front entrance, docked in the right place, and spent a couple of days shopping and eating Fishman Island delicacies. 

Here in the ethereal light of the sea forest surrounded by the wrecks and failures of countless other pirates, Blaze had a thought to how lucky she was. 

She stepped into a clearing and felt a smile light up her face at the person she found. She’d felt him bit seeing him in the flesh was different. “Jinbe.”

The large blue Fishman cracked an eye open from where he was meditating on top of a rock. A smile pulled up his lips and exposed his sharp teeth. It transformed his typically grim visage into one of genuine pleasure. “Blaze. Long time no see. What are you doing here?”

She walked closer to her former cellmate. “Crash landed with the Straw Hats. I joined up with Luffy.” She turned and offered her shoulder so he could see her new Jolly Roger. Jinbe raised a hand to rest on his chest, his large webbed hand landed on the mark of the Sun Pirates. 

“I see, congratulations.”

“Thanks.” She grinned wryly. “It been less than a day but there’s already adventure around every corner.”

Jinbe laughed. “Yes. I did get that impression from Luffy. Where is he?”

“We got separated but I’m sure he’s wandering around somewhere causing trouble.”

“I hope not. Fishman Island is in a delicate state right now. I left a message for him with the princes to meet me here.” Jinbe lost his smile as he gazed ponderously in the direction of the rest of the island. 

“I’m sure he’ll stop by.” A ship across the large clearing caught her eye and Blaze felt relief settle on her shoulders. “That’s our ship over there. Want a tour?”

He glanced curiously over his shoulder. “It’d be an honor.”

Together they went over to the Sunny. Blaze ran an eye over the ship but everything seemed fine. Franky had done a phenomenal job crafting it from what her amateur eye could tell. They caught up as they chatted and eventually settled themselves on the deck with tea. Blaze hoped Sanji didn’t mind her using his kitchen. She didn’t want to send him over the edge or anything. Poor guy. 

Jinbe told her about some of the threats he’d heard about in the New World and she shared some news about paradise and the general state of things. They were well matched in her opinion. 

“How’s Shakky?” He asked grudgingly and Blaze laughed. Jinbe and Shakky have never gotten along. 

“She’d good. Uncle Ray too. I think they’ve decided to start traveling again now that I’ve flown the nest.”

“HA. You flew the nest a long time ago, Blaze. I’ve heard your stories. I hope any future children I have aren’t as wild as you.” He shook his head chidingly at her. “Your poor parents”

“Hey!” She protested. “I was a great kid!”

Jinbe innocently looked at the sky. “I remember meeting you when you were 9, you were already trouble. Sneaking around like a mouse in the bar. And then you went and joined the revolutionaries after you surely heard me warn your parents off.”

“Hey now, I never joined the revolutionaries. I was just contracted out here and there. Shakky raised an information broker, not a revolutionary after all.”

“And how many missions did you run for them? Not to mention when you got thrown into Impel Down. You skipped right over getting a bounty and went straight to prison.” 

“Jinbe, you are being very unfair to me right now! There were extenuating circumstances.” Blaze crossed her arms over her chest. She was a very well-behaved kid. Adult. Person. 

Jinbe looked her dead in the eyes. “And now you’re a pirate on the crew of the future king of the pirates.”

“Look.” She uncrossed her arms to point rudely at him. “That’s not me. That just runs in the family.”

He held her gaze for another second before they both started to chuckle. “I’ll give you that one.” 

“HEY BLAZE! SUPER! You’re here!” Shouting drew her attention. Franky was approaching with another familiar face. That was Den, Uncle Ray’s ship coating friend. Well, today was just turning out to be full of old friends. 

——

Sanji gradually swam back into consciousness. Rivers of boobs and soft skin ticked his nose and caressed his mind. He shivered. 

“OH NO SANJI! Whatever you’re thinking about STOP!” Chopper yelled. Why was Chopper yelling? “You can’t lose any more blood!”

“Is the patient in need of more of our fluids?! No need to be shy, let it happen, darling. We will be with you All Night LONG!”

Sanji froze. He knew those voices. His eyes opened and he started shivering for an entirely different reason. “You…”

Two faces he hoped to never see again filled his vision. “Oh Sanji, we’ll be inside you forever now. I knew you couldn’t resist for too long.”

“Oh? You know them Sanji? They saved your life. You must be great friends.” Chopped asked innocently. 

“NO, GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME!” Sanji screamed as he tried to jump out of bed and away from them. He tripped immediately from the blankets tangled around his ankles and light head.

“DON’T BE RUDE ASSHOLE! THEY SAVED YOU! YOU’D BE DEAD WITHOUT THEM!” Chopper screeched. 

“Oh don’t worry about little Sanji, doctor. He’s always like this. Such a Tsundere.” 

“Little Sanji just needs to embrace his feminine side.” An iron grip grabbed him by the wrist. Sanji frantically tried to pull away. “You still have so much to learn, little flower.”

“NO PLEASE! I escaped, I did! I made it out! Please.” Sanji begged. He thought his nightmare was over. Why had it followed him?

“Don’t fret, Sanji dear. Just relax. You still have much to learn.”

Sanji turned pleading eyes on Chopper. The reindeer looks at him with big, innocent eyes “I’m so glad your friends are here, Sanji.” Chopper tilted his head and gazed at him with a dead and unfeeling gaze. “I’ll let you catch up while I go get more bandages. Take care of him, ladies.”

“You can count on us, Doctor Chopper!” They chirped together and Sanji increased his struggles suddenly desperate. 

“Aww, you flatter me!” The reindeer wiggled in happiness and turned to leave. 

“CHOPPER! NO! I’m sorry okay! DONT LEAVE ME!”

—-

Sharley gazed into her crystal ball. She’d sworn she was done looking into the future. It brought nothing but trouble. 

Ever since she’d awakened her supernaturally strong observation haki as a kid she’d been consumed by visions of the past, present, and future. Her brother had tried to help her but he’d been so consumed by vengeance that by the time it got bad he didn’t have the time or the will to help her. 

She gained control of herself in the end. It had been that or death. Sharley didn’t like to think about it but she spent an entire year alone in the depths of the ocean outside of the island trying to gain control. 

In the end, it had been worth it. At the time, it had been hell. 

Now, here she was letting her curiosity get the better of her again. It was different though. There was something blocking her vision. Sharley focused more, her eyes peering into the depths of her crystal ball. 

She couldn’t see what was blocking her, but she could feel it. A presence at the edge of the senses that felt like wildfire and damp mornings. What was it?

The fire on her senses grew until she could see it. Fishman Island engulfed in flames, destroyed, people screaming. Standing on the rubble was Straw Hat Luffy. 

Sharley ripped herself away with a gasp and knocked the crystal ball off its stand. It rolled and fell to the floor with a crash. She was gasping in terror. 

“Madam Sharley! Are you okay?” One of the mermaids came rushing in to check on her. She raised a trembling hand to clutch at her face.

“Bring one of the guards here. I have some information for the King.”

Damn that pirate. Like hell, she’d let him destroy her home. 

—-


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cogs in the machine start to turn

Sometimes that stupid, oblivious, idiotic hothead irked every nerve in Marco’s body. Most of the time it was Ace’s fault entirely. Increasingly often though it was Marco’s inner turmoil that did it.

Ace was a mess. He put on a good mask but Marco shared a room with the man. Two beds shoved into the captain’s quarters. He’d talked Ace down more often than anyone would ever realize. From a nightmare, memory, or just spiraling thoughts.

He was getting better but Marco was afraid the trauma of the War of the Best and his interrupted execution would always haunt him. The sight of all his loved ones fighting and dying for him when Ace was half convinced he didn’t even deserve to be alive was something that lived on in his co-captains mind in sharp and bloody detail.

They were working on it. The crew always there to lighten the mood and Marco always the solid support Ace could lean on. It was hard. Probably one of the hardest things Marco had ever done. Worth every second though.

When Pops had died, Marco had been scared his family would scatter to the winds. The only reason they rallied back together was Ace. The hot head inspired people and loved every crew member dearly. That day as Oars had deposited Pop’s still breathing body on the deck and they had sailed off from Marinford was etched in all their minds.

They barely crested the horizon before Pops spoke his last words, his final wishes. He wanted them to live, to return to the new world, the stay free and loyal to each other.

It was more difficult than Marco ever imagined it would be. Pops laid out on deck as they all cried around his body. Ace had nearly collapsed against his chest. Marco remembered clutching him like he couldn’t believe he was real. They almost lost Ace too.

Those first few weeks had been rough. Ace hadn’t even gotten to see his badly injured brother. Nor Blaze or Jinbe. They’d barely buried Pops before they were up to their necks in territory spats. They didn’t win them all.

The loss of Fishman Island to the Big Mom Pirates still stung.

It had taken two years but they’d protected Pop’s legacy. With the recent declaration of Ace as an emperor and their new alliance with Shanks, maybe things would start to calm down.

Marco found himself gazing up at their jolly roger. His and Ace’s flag. The symbol of their promises to each other and their crew. The White Fire Pirates.

A new name, a new flag, for an old crew and old promises. New beginnings were cresting over the horizon, change floating underneath his wings wherever he took flight.

Marco didn’t know what the future would bring but he knew who’s side he’d be at until his time in this world ended. 

—-

Smoker was more and more suspicious with each day. Reports weren’t adding up and funds were allocated oddly. He wasn’t the type to be fiddly about details but he was smart enough to know when someone was trying to pull the wool over his eyes. 

He hated it. The idea there was corruption in the Marines. He wasn’t stupid though. Corruption was everywhere. 

There were only so many reports he could look at before his eyes bled. A name caught his eyes. A report from Sabaody. His teeth clenched on his cigars and his scar throbbed. 

“Tashigi. Ready the ship. We’re going on patrol.”

“Smoker?” She asked. “We aren’t scheduled for patrol until next week.”

Smoker puffed out a long exhale. “Straw Hat and his crew were spotted leaving Sabaody. They’ll be coming through Fishman Island any day now.”

He watched the captain straighten in resolve. “Yes, Vice Admiral!”

Tashigi left in a hurry. Smoker watched her go. She was stronger than the last time they’d faced the Straw Hats. He was stronger too. His haki had grown in leaps and bounds since Marineford. 

Smoker was under no illusions that Straw Hat Luffy was still weak. Every time he’d tried to fight the kid someone was protecting him. Dragon, Fire Fist, that damned redhead. The only reason Smoker had dragged himself and Tashigi to the Grand Line was that stupid Straw Hat. 

It’d been nothing but trouble and mayhem since that brat showed his face in Loguetown. Sitting in the G5 base in the New World troubled by reports and misallocated funds, Smoker found it easy to blame all his problems on the boy. 

He grunted as he stood and donned his coat. Justice was emblazed down the back of the white garment. Easy was rarely right. Taking down Straw Hat wouldn’t fix all the world’s problems but it would damn sure make him feel better. 

——

Luffy followed the enticing smell of food after ditching the talking old guys and his crew and ended up face-first on a soft and squishy surface. He squeezed it with his hands and rolled around. “Shishishishi.” He stood up and jumped. It was bouncy. Hehe. This was fun. “What is this?” Lights suddenly flooded his eyes and he lost his footing as the surface he was standing on suddenly moved. 

“What are you doing? Who are you? GET OFF ME!!!” Luffy looked up from where he’d fallen. 

“Wow! A giant mermaid!” She sure was loud. 

“You came here to kill me? Well, I’m not scared! I’m Neptune’s Daughter…I’m not scared…” Luffy opened his mouth the say something. Apologizing or introducing himself, he didn’t know yet when the giant mermaid suddenly erupted into tears and loud sobs. He jumped back to dodge the giant tears raining down on his head. “HELP! Father! Brother, please! He’s going to kill me!”

Luffy grabbed his ears and tried to twist them in a knot. “Aahhh you suck lady! Shut up already!” He yelled at her. What was her problem? “I didn’t even do anything to you!”

Luffy stiffened suddenly and jumped into the air to intercept a spinning ax headed straight for the mermaid’s heart. Her wide-eyed gaze, as he flung the ax away from her, reminded him of a puppy. Damn. Now he felt bad. 

Noise from outside made him spin around but before he could figure out what it was the giant mermaid grabbed him in her hand and shoved him behind her back. “Please, keep quiet.” She whispered. He struggled. He couldn’t breathe! Vaguely, he registered the voices of others. He beat his fists against hers until she brought him back in front of her face and released him. 

“Damn. You’re stronger than you look.” He stood up straight to look her in her giant eyes. He’d never seen a mermaid this big. It was pretty cool. 

“They said you’re a pirate. Does that make you a bad person?” She asked. 

Hmm. Luffy didn’t know.

“Hmm, I don’t know.” He said. Always best to be honest according to Makino. “I think I’ll let you make that call.” He looked around for the food he’d smelt before. “So…Whats with the ax? Also,” He looked solemnly into her big, weepy eyes. " How do you poop?”

—-

Nami cursed as he dreams of robbing the palace blind went up in smoke. 

“You are being charged with multiple accounts of mermaid kidnapping and Sharley’s prediction of you destroying the island!” Guards were shouting and pointing their swords at them. She needed to think fast to get out of this one. 

She didn’t even know a Sharley! And she hadn’t kidnapped anyone in ages. This was slander! She bet it was Zoro’s fault. This situation wasn’t improving at all. Green caught her eye and Nami felt a plan start to take shape in her head. 

“Hey Camie! I need a favor!”

——-

Zoro was getting irritated with this place. First, they give him all the booze he wanted then they put him in jail? It was underhanded. 

The swordsman hated underhanded people. 

Now they’d lured his crew in with promises of food just to try and arrest them too?

Not allowed. 

As his swords met the trident of the king in a ringing blow he stretched out his haki to take stock of the situation. Hmm, he’d thought Nami and Luffy were there too. 

The small fries went down soon enough but Zoro hoped the King would put up more of a fight. He’d not fought anyone in hours and his muscles protested the lack. He jumped high up into the air to take the King down in a decisive blow but the giant merman suddenly froze with a grimace. “My back!”

Zoro landed light back on the ground. “Are you going to fight or not?” His adrenaline was pumping in anticipation. 

The King bowed his head in defeat. “I can’t move.”

“Ugh. What kind of king are you? Weak.” He scoffed in disgust and sheathed his swords. What a waste of a good weapon. If the king was that weak he didn’t deserve to wield a trident of such high quality. 

Whatever. Time to tie everyone up.

“Zoro! What are you doing?” Usopp yelled frantically next to him. 

“What does it look like.” 

By the time everyone was restrained he felt marginally better. Mindless activity always calmed him. 

“Yohoho, we seemed to have created quite the mess,” Brook said. Mess?

“Purupurpuru.” Zoro glanced over at the ringing snail. He waited for someone to answer it. “Purupurpuru.” Oh right. Everyone was tied up. 

“Hello?”

“Who is this? Where are the guards?”

“Prince Fukaboshi! SAVE US!”

—-

Chopper watched Sanji burst out of the clutches of his friends and frantically look up and down the street before sprinting down the road. 

He sighed. The cook lasted longer than he thought. He finished off his snack and hopped to his feet to follow his wayward patient. He didn’t trust Sanji on his own yet. 

Chopper loved being a doctor on most days. But when his patient’s only ailment was an incurable case of perversion, it was tiring. 

Shouting drew his attention. Chopper sniffed. A familiar metallic tang tickled his nose. 

“Chopper! Come quick!” Sanji shouted. The reindeer took off running towards the wayward chef. He knew what Sanji’s blood smelled like after so much time looking after the hemophiliac and this new scent on the air didn’t belong to the blonde.

The sight that greeted him shocked the doctor. “HATCHI! Oh no! We need a doctor!”

Chopper allowed himself one more moment of panic before shoving his hoof into his med bag for the bandages that’d been meant for Sanji. As he worked, he couldn’t help but keeps his ears perked up. The crowd around them was growing and grumbling in discontent. His fur started to stand on end and he faltered as he went to start a stitch. 

“SHUT UP!” Sanji roared at the crowd. “He’s trying to work!”

The crowd took a huge step back and Chopper breathed a little easier. Maybe Sanji wasn’t such a disaster all the time. 

“Who did this to you, Hatchi?” Chopper asked. The Fishman was in a terrible state. Several stab wounds and bruises littered his body. It was enough to kill a weaker person. As it was, the other was only half-conscious and mumbling.

“I can’t…I can’t tell you. No, please. You have to leave.”

Chopper frowned harder. Something was wrong. 

“You Straw Hat pirates probably did this to him! Kidnapping all those mermaids wasn’t enough for you, huh?” A furious voice spit out of the crowd. Chopper didn’t respond. He had a lot of experience being accused of heinous actions bag on Drum. Sanji wasn’t so level-headed.

“What the hell are you talking about? I’ll kick your ass!”

“Just what we expected from filthy pirates. You, humans, do nothing but cause pain!”

“Oh yeah? I’ll show you pain!”

Chopper tuned out the angry crowd bickering with Sanji. He had a patient. “What’s going on Hatchi? You have to tell us or we can’t help.”

“You have to leave the island. It's not safe for you guys.” Hatchi moaned out. Chopper tightened a bandage. 

“We need more information than that. Who did this to you?” He asked again and just received a shake of the fisherman's head for his efforts. 

“HEEEEYYYYY CHOPPER! SANJI!” Luffy’s voice suddenly filled the air and Chopper relaxed a bit. His captain would sort this out. He looked up and jerked back to hid on the other side of his patient. 

“A SHARK OH NO! ITS GOING TO EAT ME!”

Luffy jumped off the back of the giant shark and landed in between them and the angry crowd with a laugh. “It's our friend, Chopper! I won’t let you be eaten.”

“It's Straw Hat Luffy!” “He’s come to finish Hatchi off.” “We’ve got to stop him!”

The grumbling of the crowd as they started to shift in preparation to attack drew a frown from his captain. Chopper watched Luffy glance over his shoulder then dismissed the crowd as Hatchi caught his eye instead.

“Hey, Hatchi! What happened? You look really beaten up.” Luffy said. 

“You have to get off the island!” Hatchi moaned out. He was half-delirious. If Chopper was on the Sunny he could give him medicine but he didn’t even know where the Sunny was. 

“That’s the only thing he’ll say.” Chopper told Luffy. He was aware of Sanji still guarding their backs as the cook glared cooly at the angry crowds surrounding them while smoking a cigarette. Chopper loved the blonde, he really did love all his crew, he just wished they weren’t so troublesome all the time.

Luffy gazed solemnly at the injured Fishman. “Talk to me Hatchi, tell me who did this to you!”

“AAAHHCCHOOOO!”

Chopper jumped as a giant pink mermaid was suddenly ejected from the giant shark’s mouth. “Ahh dang it. I sneezed. Sorry princess.” The shark said. Chopper stared at it with a tremble in his hooves. The sharp teeth gleamed in the light and he wondered if the shark would even taste him if it decided to eat him. “Oh calm down little guy. I don’t like raccoon.” It said to him when it noticed him staring. 

“I’M NOT A RACOON!” Chopper snapped at it. “I’m a reindeer.”

“Ah sorry. I’ve never met a reindeer. I’m Megalo.”

“Ah it’s okay. I’ve never met a shark before either. I’m Chopper.” He paused. “You don’t want to eat me?”

The shark made a disgusted face. “I’m a pure-blooded Megalodon shark, I’ll have you know. I only eat the finest of seafood prepared by the palace chefs.”

Chopper glanced skeptically at the giant pink mermaid. “And mermaids?”

He shrugged sheepishly “She was hiding in me to escape the tower.”

“Huh.” Chopper couldn’t say that would be his first choice of a hiding spot. The crowd was screaming behind, well on the way to turning into an angry mob. 

“PRINCESS!” “You’re okay!” “That pirate scum kidnapped you!”

“Umm well, you see…. good job you find me!” The giant pink mermaid princess squirmed in discomfort. 

“Is something going on behind me?” Sanji asked Chopper. The doctor suddenly realized the mermaid princess was incredibly beautiful and just Sanji’s type. 

“No. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Don’t turn around whatever you do! I don’t want you to die.” Chopper ordered the cook. Ugh this whole situation was getting worse by the second. 

“Ah geez,” Luffy grumbled as he stood from where he’d been kneeling next to Hatchi. He turned to face the crowd at the same time Sanji evidently decided his life was meaningless and turned as well. 

Chopper despaired when the cook turned to stone. What was wrong with him?! Why was he such an idiot?!

“Alright, you’re all getting on my nerves.” Luffy cracked his knuckles and wound up his fist to knock out the angry mob when Hatchi started spluttering in protest. 

“NO Luffy! You can’t fight them. Please don’t fight them!”

“Ugh, Hatchi. Why not?! They’re being annoying!”

“Please!”

“Ugh!” Luffy grabbed his hair in frustration. “FINE!”

In short order, Chopper found himself tied up alongside his captain, Hatchi, and the barely conscious blonde cook. The princess was pleading with the others and trying to explain it was a misunderstanding but tears kept falling from her eyes and ruined her message. Several of the townspeople were trying to comfort her. The doctor looked sideways at his captain. “Hey Luffy?”

“Yeah?”

“You didn’t kidnap her, right?”

He scoffed, “Of course not! She wanted to go to the sea forest but was too scared to go by herself.”

Chopper nodded. It was just like Luffy to help people. He startled as Luffy disappeared from next to him to kick a spinning ax away from the giant princess. Where had that even come from?

“Don’t you move you, big baby. And don’t cry! I can’t protect you if you run away!” Luffy scolded the princess. 

From the sky, an enemy appeared spewing marriage proposals and threats. 

The chaos that followed was typical. Chopper watched in awe as Luffy pummeled the creepy guy trying the kill the princess with just his feet. 

“GUM GUM HAMMER!”

Chopper closed his eyes and pretended for a blissful second that it was all a bad dream.

——

“Hey, Robin!” Blaze waved at the other women as she emerged from the forest. The archaeologists waved absentmindedly before making her way across the clearing to the other end of the forest. 

“What, outsiders aren’t supposed to go in there!” Den called out to the black-haired woman.

“Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind.” She replied before plunging into the darkness. 

“Ha, she’s a weird one,” Franky said with a wide smile. Blaze grinned too. Robin was something alright. 

They were relaxing on the seafloor as Den coated their ship “With Gusto!” She’d offered to help, she knew quite a bit about coating ships from helping Uncle Ray so much. He’d told her to relax. It was a favor to his brother’s old student and he could handle it. She’d shrugged and settled down to sharpen her sword instead. 

Franky and Den were chatting. Jinbe had gone back to his rock to keep meditating. She kept a vague ear on their discussion of Fishman and Robot Geneology but focused most of her attention on her observation haki. She strained her senses to try and feel for her crew. She was intimately familiar with Luffy’s presence but less so with the others. 

There! On the edge of her senses and approaching swiftly. It was Luffy, Sanji, Chopper, and several others. She couldn’t fight down the smile that spread across her face and stood to greet them.

“HEEEEEYYYY!” Luffy yelled as he came into sight riding a giant shark. Blaze chuckled and shook her head in fondness. Only Luffy. 

————

DD had been on the run for the first half of her life. She had a family once, twice. But life had a way of dragging her down. Revolutionaries had rescued her from a slaving ship bound for Sabaody fourteen years ago and she’d never left. 

Dragon’s cause was one she believed in with her whole heart. She’d worked her way up until she was his most trusted. She wasn’t powerful like some of the others but she was useful. She knew more about the organization than any other. She knew more than Dragon even. But only because it was her job to receive the field reports on the white Den Den Mushi and summarize them for him.

The things she heard about were enough to keep her up at night. Her memories combined with reports to create vivid and unique nightmares. 

It sucked. But DD bore it. She had a lot to atone for, after all. Her composure was nearly perfect, a mask only Dragon ever seemed to see through. 

DD had a theory it was because he was a D. A person could never hide from a D. 

“DD! Hey!” She looked up from her work. It was Sabo. She smiled genuinely at the boy. Well, the man now she supposed. 

“Sabo. It took you a while to get here. Dragon has a mission for you. Follow me.” She stood up to lead him into their leader’s office. She didn’t knock. 

Dragon was working at his desk as well. The paperwork was never-ending. He gestured for Sabo to sit and DD turned to leave. “Wait. DD. Stay.”

She felt curiosity settle on her as she sat next to Sabo who shot her an inquiring look. DD shrugged. They waited in silence for Dragon to finish. With a final click, he set his pen aside. 

“Sabo. I need you to go the Straw Hat pirates and extend an offer of a formal alliance.”

Sabo shot right up. “On it!” He turned to race out of the room.

“Sabo, sit down.” Dragon snapped at him and DD hid a smile as the blond slunk back to his chair with a pout. “We have some information for you.” Dragon nodded at DD. “If you will, DD.”

She nodded. Dragon didn’t usually ask her to brief people. But she supposed it was a unique situation. All three of them had a vested interest in the Straw Hats.

“As you know, we had an informal hand in aiding Straw Hat two years ago during the War. Ivankov and Inazuma had quite the report afterward. With Dragon’s relation to Monkey D. Luffy exposed to the world and their history with freeing islands from oppression and accosting celestial dragons, we’ve decided to offer an alliance. Furthermore, a former revolutionary agent has joined the crew and Robin has told us many interesting things about them. With your relationship with Straw Hat and Fire Fist, we hope to bring them both into the cause.” DD paused. “Any question so far?”

Sabo shook his head impatiently. “I know all that. They’ll do it if I ask. I haven’t seen Luffy in years but I doubt he’s changed much”

Dragon shot her a stern look and DD steadied herself. “Here are some things you may not know.”

——

Sabo left Dragon’s office numb with shock. Woah. 

He packed in a daze and immediately set off. There was no time to waste.

He shook himself. It was time to see his little brother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, I just posted a one-shot called Bluejay Baby! Please go check it out and let me know what you think. Its not a part of this series though.


End file.
